This disclosure relates to air fresheners and devices which broadcast or disperse a scent or fragrance into an environment. More particularly, this disclosure relates to an air freshener unit which allows a user to adjust fragrance strength or intensity and also to customize the fragrance by mixing a variety of unique fragrances to the user's taste.
Air fresheners come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Some are un-powered, relying chiefly on evaporation to dispense fragrance, or scent, in an environment. Others use electrical power to heat the fragrance delivery means, which may be called a module, containing a volatile or vaporizable substance, in solid, semi-solid (gel), or liquid form. Still other air fresheners use forced air, by way of a fan or other means to increase airflow velocity in the presence of a scent module to enhance the fragrance delivery to the environment.
Many air fresheners are single-fragrance type, due to their design, whereby a module is inserted into a single repository, usually after some initial setup is done by the user, such as removing a packaging seal. There is no provision for additional modules in these devices, whether they are of the same fragrance or a contrasting or complimentary fragrance. Therefore, if a user desires to add more than one fragrance to the environment, a second, third, or even more air fresheners must be added, which is costly, and in the case of power outlet-based air fresheners, may occupy additional electrical outlets and also consumes more electricity.
What is needed then, is an air freshener that allows a user to customize the intensity and types of fragrances to be released into the environment. By adding or subtracting fragrance modules, the user is easily able to create customized fragrances to meet their expectations. For example, a user may wish to have a very intense fragrance released into the environment, such as apple blossom, which is not achievable using only one fragrance module. In another example, a user may wish to create a more complex fragrance environment by using at least one apple blossom module, at least one jasmine module, and even more additional modules to create a “garden” fragrant environment of contrasting or complimentary fragrances.
The air freshener of the present disclosure includes multiple fragrance modules and module locations, which are conveniently located close to a fan and/or heating element, for assisting the vaporization of the volatile components of the fragrances. The module locations, or receptacles, allow a user to easily install or replace fragrance modules while still locating the modules in alignment with air flow from the fan or heat from the heating element. The fan and/or heating element accelerates the dispersal of the fragrances contained with the fragrance modules so that the user can quickly achieve the desired fragrant environment.
The air freshener may be powered by electricity, including inductive power, disposable or rechargeable battery, or solar cell array. Power will be provided to at least a fan or heating element, as well as optional devices such as a light source, clock/alarm, or audio device, such as a radio or MP3 player. A combination of a fan and a heating element may be used to provide accelerated fragrance dispersal. In one embodiment, the air freshener will include audio components for music, including an AM/FM tuner (or other band receiver) or an MP3 or other audio input connection. Inductive power may be used to transfer power from an air freshener base portion to an operating portion, containing the fan and/or heating element, fragrance modules, and other controls and features, including an energy storage device. Additionally, the air freshener may obtain power inductively from a separate and unique inductive power location, such as a universal charging pad. A solar array may also be used to charge the air freshener's onboard energy storage devices. The array may be located in an advantageous location on the air freshener to receive solar energy, such as the top vertical surface.
The air freshener may also allow for programmable features, such as time delay, day/night activity, scent conservation by detecting motion or heat of users in the vicinity, among other features. In one embodiment, the air freshener uses an integral light source to compliment the dispersal of fragrances. For example, an array of light emitting diodes (LEDs) contained within the air freshener are activated by the device's control unit in response to fragrance dispersal or separately as artful display of color. In another embodiment, a clock/alarm is used to display time for the user's convenience, but also may be used to program the operation of the air freshener. For example, the air freshener may be programmed to provide fragrance for the user waking in the morning or when the user is schedule to arrive from work. In another embodiment, the air freshener utilizes sensors to determine if users are in the vicinity. If so, the freshener operates normally. If not, the freshener switches to an energy-conserving mode which also conserves the fragrance modules.
For a better understanding of the present invention, together with other and further features and advantages thereof, reference is made to the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and the scope of the disclosure will be laid out in the claims.
It will be readily understood that the components of the present disclosure, as generally described and illustrated in the figures herein, may be arranged and designed in a wide variety of different configurations. Thus, the following more detailed description of the embodiments of the apparatus, system, and method of the present disclosure, as represented in accompanying figures, is not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure, as claimed, but is merely representative of selected embodiments of the disclosure.
Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” (or similar) means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.
Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the following description, numerous specific details are provided, such as examples, to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. One skilled in the art will recognize, however, that the disclosure can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, etc. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the disclosure.
The illustrated embodiments of the disclosure will be best understood by reference to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by like numerals or other labels throughout. The following description is intended only by way of example, and simply illustrates certain selected embodiments of devices, systems, and processes that are consistent with the disclosure as claimed herein.